EP 3334538 A1 20180620 - CAPACITIVE MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS WITH INCREASED LIFETIME
Title (en)
CAPACITIVE MICROMACHINED ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS WITH INCREASED LIFETIME
Title (de)
KAPAZITIVE MIKROBEARBEITETE ULTRASCHALLWANDLER MIT ERHÖHTER LEBENSDAUER
Title (fr)
TRANSDUCTEURS À ULTRASONS MICRO-USINÉS CAPACITIFS PRÉSENTANT UNE DURÉE DE VIE AMÉLIORÉE
Publication
Application
Priority
- US 201562203531 P 20150811
- EP 15183228 A 20150901
- EP 2016068676 W 20160804
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO2017025438A1] An array of CMUT cells (10) has a DC bias voltage (VB) coupled to the top electrodes of the cells to bias the electrode to a desired collapsed or partially collapsed state. Fuses (200) are coupled in series with the bottom electrodes (22) of the cells which will open and isolate an individual cell from the other still-functional cells of the array in the event of a failure of the individual cell. In a preferred embodiment the cells are coupled to control integrated circuitry such as microbeamformer circuitry and the fuses are formed of semiconductor materials with the integrated circuitry, thereby leaving the MUT surface area available for high density MUT fabrication. Damage to the integrated circuitry due to short-circuiting of the DC bias current through a failed cell is prevented.
IPC 8 full level
B06B 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP US)
A61B 8/4483 (2013.01 - US); B06B 1/0292 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 29/2406 (2013.01 - US); B06B 2201/76 (2013.01 - EP US)
Citation (search report)
See references of WO 2017025438A1
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated extension state (EPC)
BA ME
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 2017025438 A1 20170216; CN 107921480 A 20180417; CN 107921480 B 20200811; EP 3334538 A1 20180620; JP 2018530196 A 20181011; JP 6767474 B2 20201014; US 11097312 B2 20210824; US 2018229268 A1 20180816
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 2016068676 W 20160804; CN 201680046971 A 20160804; EP 16750756 A 20160804; JP 2018506298 A 20160804; US 201615751207 A 20160804